YNW Melly could soon learn whether jail conditions are horrific enough to set him free as a federal judge has ordered Broward County officials to explain why the rapper shouldn’t be released.
The South Florida MC, who is facing the death penalty for allegedly murdering two close friends in 2018, filed a lawsuit accusing the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) of subjecting him to degrading conditions.
According to the Miami Herald, U.S. District Judge Melissa Damian ruled that BSO must provide a detailed justification by December 6 explaining why Melly, whose legal name is Jamell Demons, should remain incarcerated despite his claims of unconstitutional treatment.
Melly’s lawsuit filed earlier this month asserts he has been kept in near-total isolation, barred from communication with both his family and legal team, in conditions described as shocking to basic human dignity.
The 12-page lawsuit, reported by *AllHipHop*, alleges Melly’s imprisonment violates multiple amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Among the accusations are claims that the Hip-Hop artist has been deprived of his rights to legal counsel and subjected to inhumane treatment.
Melly’s attorney, Michael A. Pizzi Jr., says his client has spent the bulk of the past three years in solitary confinement without phone calls or contact with loved ones, including his mother.
“These restrictions are not related to any legitimate security concerns and are instead punitive measures designed to deteriorate Melly’s mental health and impede his ability to prepare for his trial,” Pizzi said.
He also noted that after false accusations of an escape attempt in 2022, Melly’s jail restrictions tightened further.
Melly, who has pleaded not guilty, is accused of orchestrating the murders of Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr., two childhood friends and fellow members of the YNW collective, in what prosecutors allege was part of a plan to stage a drive-by shooting.
His original trial, held in July 2023, ended in a deadlocked jury, and no verdict was reached. His retrial is scheduled for September 2025.
The rapper’s lawsuit demands his immediate release, arguing that conditions in the Broward County Jail constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
According to Pizzi, repeated attempts to seek relief through state courts have proven fruitless.
Melly’s legal team also criticized the jail system for targeting him with restrictive measures not routinely applied to inmates of other demographics.
“No non-Black inmates are subjected to such punitive restrictions,” Pizzi said.